Paradox of Progress

Paradox of Progress
Re "Made in the USA"
[April 22]: The story says the trick for U.S. companies is "to develop new manufacturing techniques ... then use them to produce goods more efficiently on superautomated factory floors." Is it so hard to understand that this equates to worsening the unemployment problem? Policymakers may set "new educational standards" (at higher costs, of course) and the entirety of the labor force may acquire a four-year degree, but if we keep pushing production automation to ever higher levels, the rate of unemployment will just keep rising. Or are we ready...